VEGETABLE PATCH : Dew still clinging to the beds this morning — a full leaf day with the descending waning gibbous moon, perfect for transplanting leafy crops. Celery seedlings raised under cover can go out now: plant them 30 cm apart in rows 40 cm wide, pressing soil firmly so the crown sits just at surface level. Spinach rows can be thinned to 8 cm apart, rows 30 cm, and watered in gently. Chives divisions settle well at 15 cm apart, rows 25 cm — add a thin layer of compost around each plant to retain moisture.
LANDSCAPING : Run your fingers along wisteria’s new whippy shoots and pinch them back to five or six leaves, channelling energy into next year’s flower buds. Hydrangea beds appreciate a fresh 5 cm mulch of composted bark over moist soil. Clematis can be tidied of any dead or crossing stems; rhododendron benefits from a light trim of spent flower clusters once petals drop.